Attachment for chain-tighteners.



A. J. STEPFENSEN. ATTACHMENT FOR. CHAIN TIGHTENERS. APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 6, 1914.

1,132,496. Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS C(L, PHOTCLITHO,, WASHINGRJN, D4 C.

ANDREW J. STEFFENSEN, OF WOODS-TOOK, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIN-TIGHTENERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Application filed June 6, 1914. Serial No. 843,512.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANDREW J. STEFFEN- SEN, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Woodstock, in thecounty of McHenry and State of Illinois, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Attachments for Chain-Tighteners, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for chaintighteners and has particular application to an attachment for the chaintightener of corn binders, although it is to be understood that theinvention, in its useful application, is not limited to use inconjunction with the chain tighteners of corn binding machines, as thesame may be employed in connection with the chain tightening devices ofother machines.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide anattachment which will be found especially useful in conjunction with thedrive chain 'tightener of Mc- Cormick corn binders and whereby the idleroller of the chain tightener will be securely and effectively held inadjusted position.

It is also my purpose to provide a device of the class described whichmay be readily and quickly applied to the machine and which may beconveniently and accurately adjusted and securely held in the desiredadjusted position.

With the above and other objects inview, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthin and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of oneof the driving wheels of a McCormick corn binder showing my inventionapplied. Fig. 2' is a view in side elevation of the attachment removed.Fig. 3 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is across sectional view on the line 4-1 of Fig. 2 looking in the directionof the arrow.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, 1 designates one of the tractionwheels of a corn binder of the McCormick type, while 2 indicates a gearwheel disposed concentrically of the aXis of the traction wheel andsecured to the inner face of the latter so that in the rotation of thegear wheel motion will be imparted to the traction wheel.

8 indicates a driving pinion fixed to a suitable shaft connected up withthe source of power of the machine and ournaled in suitable bearings,while 5 designates an endless chain trained over the gear wheel 2 andthe pinion 3 and adapted to impart movement to the traction wheel in therotation of the pinion. The brace bar of the corn bmder is indicated at6 and disposed in proximity to the gear wheel 2 and pinion 3, as usual.Depending from the support of the bearings of the pinion 3 is a lug 7equipped at its lower end with a horizontal pivot bolt 8 and pivotedupon the bolt 8 is an arm 9 having the outer end thereof provided with astub shaft upon which is journaled an idle roller 10 bearing against theunder surface of the lower run of the chain. The confronting faces ofthe lug 7 and arm 9 are formed with teeth designed to interlock with oneanother and threaded upon one end of the pivot bolt 8 is a nut by meansof which the teeth may be held in interlocking engagement. By means ofthis construction, it will be seen that when the nut 8 is loosened thearm 9 and roller 10 may be swung upwardly to increase the tension on thedrive chain, while when the nut is tightened the teeth on theconfronting faces'of the arm and lug will interlock and so hold the armagainst downward movement. This particular type of chain tightener isnow.

used on the McCormick corn binder for maintaining the chain taut andpractice has demonstrated that the interlocking teeth on the lug and armare insuflicient to maintain the arm and idle roller elevated in thecontinued movement of the chain, the teeth breaking off or separatingunder the strain and permitting the arm to drop under the action of thechain thereby slackening the latter and impairing the propelling mechanism of the corn binding machine. In order to eliminate this and otherobjectionable features heretofore present, I employ an attachmentwhereby the arm 9 isheld in adjusted position and which coacts with theinterlocking teeth on the lug and arm to prevent downward movement ofthe arm and idle roller in the operation of the propelling mechanism ofthe machine. In the present instance, this attachment comprises asegmental plate 11 formed with a longitudinal slot 12 struck on an arccorresponding with that of the plate and having one face thereofserrated as at 13.

14 indicates a substantially U-shaped clamping block having the outerends of the limbs thereof formed with feet 15, 15 and the bottom facesof the feet are serrated to engage the serrated face of the plate 11.Formed in the feet 15, 15 are apertures registering with the slot 12 inthe plate 11 and passed through these apertures and embracing theclamping block is a U-shaped clamping bolt 16 having the outer ends ofthe limbs thereof threaded to receive nuts 17 and washers 18 interposedbetween the nuts and the adjacent face of the plate 11. The lower end ofthe plate 11 is formed with an offset car 18 and passed through such earis a pivot bolt 19 adapted to form an axle for the idle roller 10 of thechain tightener.

In practice, the plate 12 is disposed upon one side of the brace bar 5in a substantially vertical position immediately adjacent to the pinion3 and chain tightener, while the clamping block 1% is arranged at theopposite side of the bar, the serrated faces of the feet 15 interlockingwith the similar face of the plate 11. The clamping bolt 15 is nowplaced about the block and the limbs of such bolt passed through theapertures or openings in the feet 15 and the slot 12 in the plate. Thewashers 18 and nuts 17 are now secured in position whereby the block 15clamps against the brace bar 6 and so holds the plate 11 in properposition, the nuts 17 and slot 12 in the plate 11 enabling theattachment to be adjusted vertically relatively to the belt tightener.The opening in the ear 18 on the lower end of the plate 12 alines withthe axis of the roller 10 and the bolt 11 is passed through theregistering openings in the car 18, arm 9 and the hub of the idleroller, such bolt forming an axle for the roller. As the arm 9 is swungupwardly to take the slack out of the chain 5, the plate 11 issimiliarly moved, the nuts 17 having been loosened, and when the chainis placed under the desired tension the nut 8 is tightened to inter lockthe teeth on the confronting faces of the lug 7 and arm 9, and the nuts17 tightened whereby the serrated faces of the feet of the clampingblock 1-1 will be drawn into interlocking engagement with the serratedface of the plate 12. Thus, the chain tightener will be effectively andefliciently secured in position and held against move ment under theaction of the belt in the operation of the propelling mechanism of thecorn binding machine.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the construction, mode of operation and manner of employing myinvention will be readily apparent. It will be seen that I have provideda drive chain tightener attachment or adjunct whereby when the chain isplaced under the desired tension the chain tightener will be securelyand effectively held in adjusted position thereby eliminating thepossibility of the chain be coming slack.

lVhile I have herein shown and described one preferred form of myinvention by way of illustration, 1 wish it to be understood that I donot limit or confine myself to the precise details of constructionherein described and delineated, as modification and variation may bemade within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. An attachment of the class described comprising an arcuate shapedplate having a slot formed therein and having one face thereof serrated,a substantially iJ-shapcd clamping block having feet formed on the outerends of the limbs thereof and serrated to engage the serrated face ofsaid plate, and a clamping bolt embracing said block and passed throughsaid feet and slot.

An attachment of the class described comprising an arcuate shaped platehaving a slot formed therein, a substantially U- shaped clamping blockhaving feet formed on the outer ends of the limbs thereof and engagingone face of said plate, and a clamping bolt embracing said block andpassed through said feet and slot.

3. The combination with a chain tightener of a corn binding machine, ofmeans co'perating with said tightener to hold the latter in adjustedposition and comprising a plate disposed at one side of the brace bar ofthe machine and having a slot formed therein, a substantially U-shapedclamping block embracing the brace bar and having feet formed on theouter ends of the limbs thereof in engagement with the adjacent face ofsaid plate, a clamping bolt embracing said block and passed through saidfeet and the slot in. said plate, and a connection between the lower endof said plate and the chain tightener.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREWV J. STEFFENSEN.

Witnesses 2 A. J. MULLEN, N. M. THOMPSON.

Goples of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

